Russia positions for more military expansion, using Russian-occupied Georgia as hub
In a move that underscores Russia’s long-term imperial ambitions in the South Caucasus, Moscow has announced the establishment of a base for its Black Sea Fleet in the occupied Georgian region of Abkhazia. The facility, to be located in the port city of Ochamchira, is officially described as a “material and technical base,” but its strategic implications are unmistakable.
Russia invaded and occupied two regions of Georgia — Abkhazia and South Ossetia — in 2008. Now it will use one of them as a base for further military expansion.
The announcement was made on May 31 by Abkhaz leader Badr Gunba, a Kremlin-aligned figure installed after Russia’s occupation of the region. Gunba stressed that the project would deepen cooperation between Russia and Abkhazia — a euphemism for integrating the breakaway region more deeply into Russia’s military orbit. While he claimed it would not constitute a full naval base, the construction of a permanent logistics and supply center for the Black Sea Fleet signals the next stage in Moscow’s military entrenchment.
Russia invaded Georgia in 2008 under the pretense of “protecting” ethnic minorities. Within days, Russian forces had occupied Abkhazia and South Ossetia, regions internationally recognized as part of Georgia. Since then, Moscow has entrenched its control, issuing Russian passports, stationing troops, and building military infrastructure — all in violation of international law and ceasefire agreements.
The decision to expand naval capabilities in Ochamchira serves several purposes. First, it reflects Moscow’s ongoing effort to secure a second Black Sea outlet amid increasing vulnerability of its main naval hub in Sevastopol, Crimea. Ukraine’s successful drone and missile strikes on Russia’s Black Sea Fleet in recent months have forced the Kremlin to scatter its assets and seek safer supply lines.
Second, it demonstrates Russia’s readiness to convert occupied territory into permanent military footholds, using proxy administrations to justify deployments. Abkhazia, like Crimea, is being reshaped into a forward operating zone for regional power projection.
Third, this move fits into a broader strategy of encircling NATO’s southern flank. While Georgia remains a NATO aspirant, Russia’s military infrastructure on its territory serves as a constant threat, designed to stoke instability and discourage Western integration.
The base in Ochamchira may be described in technical terms, but its message is political:
Russia will use any occupied territory not just for control, but as a launchpad for further aggression.
What began in Georgia in 2008 is being militarized again in 2025 — and as in Ukraine, Russia’s pattern is clear: invade, occupy, entrench, and expand.
